3 Yr Old Hasnt Gained Any Weight Since He Turned 2

My son is the same way. He has been getting taller and taller but not gaining any weight. He has been 40lbs for 1 1/2 years. Don't worry.

I have a 29 month old that can wear 18 months in shorts.And in 4T shirts. He has been around 32-33 lbs. for about the last 6 months. I think it's just they are growing fast and on the go so much. As long as he still has energy, he should be fine.

my 6 year old still has a very skinny waist and almost no tush. If the child's father has a small waist then you're probably going to raise a bean pole.

I wouldn't worry. It could easily be just his body type. I have a six year old who was always wearing bigger than she was (at 3 she wore 4's at 4 she wore4/5 in girls, etc.) I have a daughter who'll be 5 on the 25th. She's only like 35lbs and wears the same shirts/shorts as her younger sister who will be 4 Aug 12th and is 32lbs. The only difference is she needs 5 jeans for length but I have to have the stomach cinched on the adjustable waist band. It's not that she doesn't eat because she'd eat constantly if you let. Milk's always been her favorite drink. But her body type is very thin. So I wouldn't worry too much. It's probably just like her. She keeps following the same curve on the weight/height chart so the doctor isn't worried about her either. I was told as long as she doesn't have a significant drop she's ok.

I am not sure what your son looks like but most kids that I know have not gained that much weight either from the time that they were two until about four. My daughter is going to be 4 in June and she doesn't look skinny at all. My friends have daughters and son's that are much thinner then my daughter. My daughter weighed about 32 pounds when she turned two and she is now 35 pounds. She wears a 3t most of the time and is growing taller by the minute but also hasn't gained much weight. She however deosn't look thin or underfed when you look at her. She enjoys her chocolate milk and eats plenty of snacks through out the day. She eats three meals and even has snacks that she will eat inbetween. I buy her the handiscack puddings and she eats cheezit crackers and lots of pb and jelly sandwiches. My daughter isn't what I would call picky but she isn't big on vegtables or meats so I try to find things that she will eat. She loves the spaghetti o's and raviolis and pretty much all the canned pasta stuff. She loves cambells chicken noodle soup. I give it to her with ritz crackers and she loves that. I buy the Dora kind just so she will eat it. All I can say is if you think your son is to thin then try feeding him things that are high in calories to make him gain weight. My sister had to put her daughter on pediasure drinks because she was skinny. I would ask your doctor but if he/she isn't concerned and you son seems to have a healthy appitite then I wouldn't worry to much about it.

Hi M.

I would do like the dr. said and keep him on whole milk and just keep feeding him healhy foods including healthy fats from meat. If he is growing, healthy most of the time, active and eats well (and I don't mean w/o treats once in a while, we all need them)at some point he will slow down growing as far as height and put on a few LBS. How about you and his dad, and the rest of his family, are you all or some of you blessed with being lean or having a good matabolism. It just may be a family thing (lucky). I know there is so much talk today about avoiding fatty foods, but the FDA recomends kids drink whole milk until they are 3 and then going to 2%. As far as other foods don't go low or no fat. Kids needs the good fat, like from animals for healthy brain development. The only other thing I can think to add to his diet is pediasure drinks, that would give him a few extra calories in a day.

Good luck

T.

M.,

I have an 8yr old son that has weighed the same since he was about 5yrs old. Like your son mine has gotten toller and taller but is seams he never puts on weight. My son eats every chance he gets and is outside being as active as he can be. My only advice for you is if you are worried about his health ask the doctor to do a complete blood work on him to see if giving him vitamins would help him and you might also try the whole milk, that is how we got our other two children to gain weight. Our doctor told us that our son just has a very high matabalism( SPELLING?). He is 8yrs old and as tall as his 11 yr old sister. I too find it difficult to find him pants or shorts that fit him well because of his tiny waist and long legs.

If you are scared he will gain to much weight on whole milk then only give him whole milk half of the time. Our who family is on skim milk and the 8yr old eats anything and everything he can get his hands on. All in all if you do not like what the doctor has to say ask for a second opinion it is your right as a mother and as a patient. Do not be scared to offend your doctor. And as for people thinking you don't feed your child I'm sure when you look at him he looks just fine and shows no signs of malnutrtion.

Hi, M.
I wouldn't worry too much about your son. I have 3 1/2 year old twin girls and they are small for their age too. One of my girls weighs 27 pounds, and the other only weighs 25! So your son is bigger than my girls. I just had mu girls to the doctor and she siad that if they are getting a good diet, are active and act normal that I shouldn't worry about their weight. My girls can still wear 12-18 month clothes around the waist, so I know what you are going through. If your doctor thinks that your son is healthy, and he eats well and has lots of energy, then I wouldn't worry about his weight. Not all toddlers habe fat legs and chubby tummies!

S.

Hi! I know you have heard this a lot, but I am gonna tell you again. I know how it feels thinking your child is under weight. I was the same way and still am. My five year old son weighs 36pds. He is very tall and slender, also very active. He eats like a horse too. My girl that just turned 4 weighs just about if not more than my son already. It seemed like my son was never hungry at 2 & 3 years old and now he is really making up for that, still not gaining a whole lot of weight though. Well I hope this is helpful to you. Best of Luck.

A.

Hello,
I can relate my son is 4 weighs 40 lbs and is 3'8" tall. His body mass index is 16, which is on the lowest end of the scale for normal. He wears 5T shorts and 6T shirts that are a little big but he is long waisted. He eats 2 bowls of oatmeal for breakfast then will ask for more breakfast about an hour later and I will make him a 2 egg omelet with cheese and a piece of toast thinking this will be more than he will eat and no he downs it. He eats well, loves steak and all meats, but not too big on the carb stuff sides are just not his cup of tea, plus he never stops moving. I have always given my kids whole milk and my daughter is 6 weighs 50 lbs and is 4'8 inches. They are normal for the charts they are just thin, compared to the other kids in their classes, even though I feed them a healthy breakfast, snack in the morning, healthy lunch, afternoon snack, and then a healthy dinner and usually a bowl of cereal or fruit before bed. My children are just very active and don't sit in front of the tv or game box all day. They play outside and do karate. I don't keep all junk food from them they eat ice cream and candy, we go to mcdonalds, but we only do these things in moderation. I guess I would prefer my kids to be a little on the thin side and know they are active and eating healthy than have them be on the over weight side and be eating out all the time and teaching them bad eating habits.
As long as your son is eating he will start gaining weight, don't worry. Boys are definitely different in the weight department than girls.
Michelle

Wow that sounds like I wrote it! My son is 3 1/2 and he has been at 30# since around 2 yrs. He is getting taller and he can wear clothes size 24 m on certain things that run big, but mainly sizes 3T & 4T. He also eats 3 meals and snacks all day long! My son is also all boy, very active and hardly ever takes a nap. And he is smart as a whip!!! I think it is just normal for them, as long as everything else is normal I wouldn't worry!!

I'd follow the doctors advice, give him whole milk, but don't worry too much about it. My daughter's grown several inches this year but only put on a pound.

As long as you and your doctor think he's healthy I wouldn't worry about it. I was always super thin as a child. I didn't hit the 60lb mark until I was 12 or 13.

I am in the same boat you are in and be grateful that we have kids with really high metabolisms. My daughter was 30 lbs when she turned 2 and she will be 4 in 2 months and has just now hit the 34lb mark. she is also tall for her age, 43 inches, and wears 4T-5T in everything for the lenght but she is so stinking skinny that I have to take in the waists on all of her shorts or pants. And she eats everything in sight and would eat all day if I let her. Her ped. said that dr's would much rather see them tall and slim than overweight like alot of kids these days are. I see alot of toddlers that are just way too fat and I am happy that i have a daughter that is tall and slim. I wouldnt worry too much. My daughter drinks 4-5 cups of 2% milk everyday and does just fine. I would not switch to whole milk just because you have a skinny toddler. 2% has more calcium which is what he needs right now more than more fat. And dont worry about what anyone else thinks. I have gotten all the "are you feeding her enough" comments and i just tell them that just becuase she is not chubby does not mean that she is not healthy. I would focus more on what he eats rather than how much. Quality always trumps quantity! Hope this helps.

M.,

My daughter is the same way. She's 3 going on 4 soon and she's only gained a pound since her 2nd birthday. I asked her doctor if that was normal and she said it was. As long as she was eating healthy and staying active there was no need to worry. So I just make sure she keeps up eating healthy meals three times a day.

If you're really worried - just ask your doctor. He/she will let you know if there is anything you should worry about.

Hope this helps!

J.

I think he will gain weight in his own time. My oldest daughter is 3 and now she is 40 pounds...it seems like she was holding out at 35 for the longest time, but she kept growing taller and taller. My daughter is in 5T and up clothing. She isn't that big around, but nothing seems to cover her belly, or shorts show off her butt! She eats like a pig...for example, for breakfast, she can eat 2 bowls of cereal (like what I would feed myself) and a banana and turn around 30 minutes later saying she was hungry.

Since your child is active, I don't think it would matter what you feed him. He will just burn off the calories. My 11 month old daughter eats as much as a 2 year old for lunch and she doesn't seem to gain much weight (she had 5 chicken nuggets today for lunch with some fries, then topped it off with 6 ounce bottle.) Her clothes never fit her right also (she is in 6-9 month clothes). She is long and a toothpick. Her pants are too short most of the time, but she swims in the waist band...Needless to say she is in onsies most of the time anymore.

My daughter is 3 1/2, and I just took her to the doctor a week ago. She weighs 29 lbs. and is in the 25% for her weight and 51% for her height. Like your son, she seems to eat all the time. She doesn't look overly skinny to me at all, she just looks normal. My doctor said that as long as her weight doesn't go down, it's fine. Hope this helps!

I'm going to be the old lady in the bunch but when my 21 year old was 2 he weighed 22 lbs and didn't gain weight for a year. He is still slender and still a picky eater but healthy and active. I wouldn't worry about your son. He will start gaining eventually. Just enjoy these years because they are so very special.

Hey M.!

I wouldn't be too worried. My son was this same way when he was this age (still is). Actually when my son was about 2 yrs. old our pediatrician was so concerned about his weight gain that he wanted to do a sweat test to rule out cystic fibrosis. Of course this made me think the worst and had my emotions all out of whack but thank God the test was NEGATIVE. My diagnosis: my son is just small framed - tall and slender - like I was when I was his age. All kids are different and grow at differently.

My son is now 4 1/2 yrs. old and he's still this same way. He's growing taller but he's just skin and bones. (he is gaining weight but slowly not like he did when he was younger) He eats, not as well as I'd like him to, but he does eat nutrious meals and he still drinks WHOLE MILK b/c he needs the fat content -- this hasn't really helped him gain any weight though. (some say they still need the fat content in whole milk past 2 yrs. old, especially if they're underweight) My son weighs about 32 lbs. but I think it's mostly from his height. If you saw him without his clothes you'd swear that he doesnt' eat or I don't feed him... you can see his ribs.

He wears 4T shirts but he wears 3T pants (they are still a little big in the waist on him - and are even a little short in the length but this is what he must wear to fit him in the waist) I like to buy the jeans with the adjustable waist. I love dressing him in the summer time b/c I don't have to worry about LENGTH. It's so much easier just wearing shorts. :) He wears 4T tops and 3T shorts (he could wear 2T if it wasn't so short in the straddle area).

I'm not sure if this helps put your mind at ease but I just wanted to let you know that you're not alone out there with kids who have tiny waists. (my sister's little boy will be 3 at the end of this month and she has the same problem -- her son is about 34 lbs. - he's more dense than my son b/c he's shorter - and he could wear 18-month in the waist if the straddle isn't too short) **When they are playing on a see-saw, my little boy stays up in the air b/c he's so light** So, see, you're not alone. Best of luck to you! :)

I wouldn't worry too much! My daughter turned four this past March and only weighs 33lbs....and she hasn't put on much at all since the time she was two either.

She grows in height, daily it seems...but not much in the weight department!

If your pediatrician isn't too concerned, I wouldn't be either.

I have had this problem with my oldest and youngest. I have a 8 yr old that was wearing a 3t pair of shorts bacause laundry got mixed up for the two girls. (scary thing is they fit fine) My 8 yr old weighs 48 lbs. She is tall, skinny, and lanky. Trust me I have had every test in the book ran on her. I was terrified she was not getting enough to eat or al of her nutrients. My youngest is 2 1/2 and is still wearing 18 mth clothes. At his last checkup he had gained 1 lb in 6 mths. He was my largest baby weighing in at 9' 15" at birth, He is just small now. They are perfectly healthy just come in different sizes.

You can't make a big deal out of it to him. This was my biggest mistake with the oldest. They will eat what they want(need), you can't force them to take bigger portions or eat more. This may set them up for bad results later if they do not remain as active. If your 3 yr old is anything like mine she is always runing and never slowing down. They use the food faster than it digests. If the Dr. is not overly concerned I would enjoy only having to buy shirts..

What types of things do you eat? I'd concentrate on more milk products like yogurt, cheese, veggies with cheese sauce on them etc. These things in moderation can help with weight loss since they are highly nutritious and filling. But, they can just as easily cause weight gain. I'd really hate for him to gain weight with sugary foods.

But you might be able to come up with some things that will seem like a treat to him. Like you could get some oatmeal cookie recipes and use some alternative ingredients to make them more healthy.

I'm only guessing. Gaining weight is nothing I've ever had to try to do.

Suzi

I haven't read all the responses for this, but I wanted to leave my mark.
My son is 18 months old on June 10th and is the 3rd percentile for his age. He weighs a whole whopping 20lbs. He's only in the 25% for his height. He's just small, but I'm not worried. He's healthy. He eats like a horse some days, some days he's finicky and then some days..eats all day long. He never slows down though. We got for his 18 month check up in about a week and I suspect that he'll not have gained more than a few ounces in the last 3 months. So that would mean in the last 6 months he'll of only gained 1lb.
All of the kids in his playgroup however are all about the same range. There are 5 of them and they are all on the low end of the "growth" chart.
I get looks like I don't feed my child from my own family. (not my parents, but extended family that we don't see often). We'll be at family gathering and my son just won't eat much at all, even though they see us trying to feed him things they give us weird looks. He doesn't eat cookies, ice cream, or candy...he's been offered them, but won't eat them, but give him fruit and he'll happily eat it all.
I would simply talk to your doctor and maybe do a thryoid or pituitary test and see if there is anything medically that is wrong.
Good luck and hang in there, I'm sure he'll catch up!

hi M. i know that i am probably not much help to you but i have a friend who has a 9 yr old daughter who can still wear 5t clothes and they fit her. she is very skinney but very tall. youre right, you cant force kids to eat. my son, dylan, who is almost 7 doesnt eat very much himself. i think the last time he got weighed he was about 52 lbs. my 4 yr old who is almost 5 weighs in at 41 lbs. i dont think that it is anything to worry about. there are a lot of kids out there who dont gain weight but are very tall. if the drs say he is healthy i wouldnt worry. hope this helps a little. god bless, R. pardee

He is growing, only in height. Kids growth does slow immensely in their toddler years verses what you saw in the first year or so. Consistant growth is the key. And some kids are a bit smaller due to genetics also. All my kids are on the small side, and to compare, my 5 yr old son still wears 4t, but when compared to my other kids (7 others) he is not at all unusual. Toddlers/preschoolers also tend to be very active, very picky, and go thru spurts where they don't seem to eat a thing. 30 lbs does NOT sound out of the norm to me for a 3 yr old.